Chicago museum admits star attraction is a forgery
A half-man, half-goat sculpture, which was attributed to Post-Impressionist artist Paul Gauguin and took pride of place at the Art Institute of Chicago for a decade, has been revealed as a forgery created by a British family.
The museum has admitted that The Faun sculpture is not by the 19th century French artist but is the work of the Greenhalgh family, who swindled an estimated £1.5 million from museums, galleries and auction houses.
A private dealer bought the sculpture at Sotheby's, London, for £20,700 in 1994. The Art Institute purchased it from the dealer three years later....
Shaun Greenhalgh, 47, who was jailed earlier this month on fraud charges, created it at his parents' home in Bolton, Greater Manchester.
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The museum has admitted that The Faun sculpture is not by the 19th century French artist but is the work of the Greenhalgh family, who swindled an estimated £1.5 million from museums, galleries and auction houses.
A private dealer bought the sculpture at Sotheby's, London, for £20,700 in 1994. The Art Institute purchased it from the dealer three years later....
Shaun Greenhalgh, 47, who was jailed earlier this month on fraud charges, created it at his parents' home in Bolton, Greater Manchester.